Aircraft engine cowling ventral door



y 1970 G. KOPP 3,519,226

AIRCRAFT ENGINE COWLING VENTRAL DOOR Filed Sept. 30, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

FIGZ

July 7, 1970 G. KOPP 3,519,226

AIRCRAFT ENGINE GOWLING VENTRAL DOOR Filed Sept. 30, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 7, 1970 G. KOPP 3,519,226

AIRCRAFT ENGINE COWLING VENTRAL DOOR Filed Sept. 30, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FEGB United States Patent O 3,519 226 AIRCRAFT ENGINE COWLING VENTRAL DOOR Gerhard Kopp, Munich, Germany, assignor to Entwicktungsring Sud G.m.b.H., Munich, Germany Filed Sept. 30, 1968, Ser. No. 763,864 Claims priority, application Germany, Oct. 6, 1967,

Int. (21. B64d 29/06 US. Cl. 244-53 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An engine cowling ventral door particularly adapted for use with aircraft having selectively positionable nozzles. The ventral door is maintained in positive engagement with its respective nozzle. A guide rail is secured to the inwardly disposed surface of the ventral door. Received by the guide rail for movement along same is a slide which is secured to the nozzle. Thus, as the discharge end of the engine is downwardly positioned the ventral door is cause to correspondingly open.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention generally relates to an engine cowling ventral door, especially adapted for use with vertical take OE and landing (VTOL) and short take off and landing (STOL) aircraft. The illustrated ventral door is particularly adapted for and mounted at the cowling of engines which include tiltable nozzles. In accordance with conventional practice, a cowling ventral door is often extended by means of special actuating and locking devices, which are driven prior to tilting the nozzle. Further in addition to such activating and locking devices it has been necessary to include means for synchronized timing of the respective positioning operations. Such synchronization means must meet relatively high reliability standards at least to the same degree as are required for the nozzle tilting mechanism.

It is an object of the present invention to simplify such movements in a reliable manner by providing a positive engagement between the door and its respective nozzle, thus insuring opening and closing in accordance with the position of the engine nozzle. To accomplish this end, the illustrated embodiments include slides which are received by guide rails. The guide rails serve as connecting members between the nozzle and the door. A preferred embodiment will subsequently be described, however it should be understood that various modifications may be appreciated by those skilled in the art which fall within the scope of the invention in that they serve to transmit the tilting movement of the nozzles to the ventral door.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings which show an i1- lustrative embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view taken through an engine cowling with the open position of the ventral doors indicated in phantom.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 along the arrow X thereof.

3,519,226 Patented July 7, 1970 ice DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With respect to the drawings, an engine cowling, 10, is illustrated which houses engines 11 and 12. The engines 11 and 12 include nozzles 13 and 14 respectively which are electively positioned for deflection of the jet stream. Serving to accomplish this deflection, the engine nozzle doors 20 and 21 are provided which obstruct an opening defined by the cowling. With respect to the illustrated embodiment direct actuation of the doors 20 and 21 is accomplished by the tiltable nozzles 13 and 14 so that additional actuating drives or locking and synchronization devices are to a large extent unnecessary. Serving this end, a guiding member 30 is attached to an outer guide ring 15 within which the nozzle freely rotates. The guiding member 30 consists of sliding elements, 31, which rest in guide rails, 32. Each of the rails is rigidly attached to one of the ventral doors 20 and 21. As the discharge ends of engine 11 and 12 are downwardly positioned, the outer ring 15 transmits pressure to the ventral doors via the guiding members 30 causing their corresponding movement. Thus a relatively simple door opening mechanism is provided.

With respect to the alternate embodiment of FIGS. 3 through 6 the rotary and tilting movement of the nozzles 13 and 14 is conveyed from the outer race 15 of the nozzle bearing to a boss 40. The boss 40 is freely moveable about a pin 41. At this point, force is applied to a roller slide. The rollers 43 comprising a portion of the slide are supported by and are moveable in U-shaped guide rails 50. The tilting movement of nozzles 13 and 14 is transferred by means of the outer race 15 to the roller slide, which urges it in the direction of the tilting movement thereby effecting positive opening of the doors 20 and 21. The closing movement of the doors 20 and 21 takes place in a similar manner. To provide better stability, the engine nozzle doors 20 and 21 are provided with longitudinal braces 44 as well as transverse braces 45 which support the guide rails. Alternatively each of the outer races 15 may be provided with trunnions 47, 57. The trunnions are connected to the roller slide 42 which is located between the nozzles 13, 14.

Serving to compensate for variations in angle, gap and length between the engines a pair of rings 48 and 49 is provided which slide upon the trunnions 47 and 57. The roller slide freely swivels about the trunnion axis. The bearing for the trunnion support is designated by 46. With respect to this particular embodiment, a reduced aircraft cross section results from the fact that the space between the engines and beneath the engine centerlines is vacant.

I claim:

1. An aircraft engine cowling assembly for engines having a tiltable nozzle comprising a ventral door in said cowling, and means for providing positive engagement between said door and said nozzle whereby the tilting movement of the nozzle produces a corresponding movement and positioning of said door, said engagement means including a guide rail and a sliding element interengaged with said rail.

2. An aircraft engine cowling assembly according to claim 1, wherein said sliding element is in the form of a roller slide which is mounted upon said guide rail, said guide rail being rigidly attached to said door, and a boss provided upon the roller and attached to said nozzle by means of a swivel joint.

3. An aircraft engine cowling assembly according to claim 2, including a pair of engine nozzles and a single roller slide for each of said nozzles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,030,051 4/ 1962 Kerry et al. -244-23 3,053,477 9/1962 Reiniger 24415 X 3,154,916 11/1964 Eichholtz 24456 10 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner J. E. PITTENGER, Assistant Examiner 

